Flash-light holder



1 0 March 22, 927 E. L THORP FLASH LIGHT HOLDER 1926v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 2 l VENTOR 2 720179- /i2zz.

ATTORNEYS 'WITNESSES 77/ M M r h 22 192 a c 7 E. L. THORP FLASH LIGHT HOLDER S Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2, 1926 a 6mm INVEN TOR ATTORNEYS E. L. THORP' FLASH LIGHT HOLDER March 22, 1927. 1,621,645

Filed June 2, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 22, 1927 EARL L. TI'IOBP, F SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

FLASH-LIGHT HOLDER.

Application. filed Juno 2,

This invention relates to an improvement in flashlight holders particularly designed for use by sportsmen, motorists, policemen and workmen when working in dark places although also adapted for many other uses.

The object of the invention is to provlde a flashlight holder which may be conveniently supported on the belt or waistline and which supports the flashlight at the most desirable angle. The mounting of the flashlight is adjustable and may be set in any of its adjustn'ients so that the beam of light projected from the flashlight may be directed on the desired area and yet the hands of the person using the flashlight are free Another object is to provide a flashlight holder which is of simple and durable construction, reliable and etl'ective in operation and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the constructlon, arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out 111 the appended claims, reference being had to. the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a view in section on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view in section on the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a detail perspectlve view of the mounting employed with the'form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3,

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation showing another embodiment of the invention,

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7--7 of Figure 5,

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 6,

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of a modified form of holder adapted for use in the form of plate shown in Figs. 1 to 1,

Figure 10 is a similar view or" another modified form of holder, and

Figure 11 is a perspective view showing a slightly modified form of mounting plate.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 to t, it will be seen that the invention comprises broadly a mounting member M and a holder H. Preferably the was. Serial No. 113,220.

mounting member M comprises a plate 1 transversely curved to conform to the contour of the body at the waistline and this plate has mounting tongues 2 connected, as at 3, with the upper end of the plate and xtending downwardly in spaced relation to the inner face of the plate. The plate is provided with vertical slots a designed to receive the belt B and preferably the slots are aligned transversely and are located adjacent the tongues 2. The tongues fit down over the waistband of the trousers or skirt and the belt extends through slots to support the mounting plate in position.

The holder H comprises a pair of gripping members 5 which preferably consist of metal plates curved transversely to conform to the curvature of the flashlight F and having their inner faces aligned with rubber or other yieldable gripping material 6. Spring hinges 7 serve to pivotally connect the ripping members and to bias them to gripping position, the spring hinges thus serving as means to adjustably connect the sections for pivotal movement and also for urging the sections to gripping position. lhe holder H is adjustably mounted on the mounting member M by means of a post 8 pivotally connected intermediate its ends, as at 9, to the plate 1. The lower end of the post 8 carries a bolt 10, the shank of which extends through an arcuate slot 11 provided in the plate 1. The head 12 of the bolt engages the marginal edges of the slot 11 and 5 this head may be drawn to clamp the marginal edges of the slot 11 between itself and the post 8 by means of a wing nut 13 threadedly engaged with the bolt, as shown in the drawings. The upper end of the post 8 is provided with a rounded portion 1 1 which is a rotatable and sliding fit in a sleeve 15 fixed to one of the members 5 of the holder. When the sleeve and rounded portion 14 of the post are assembled the lower end of the sleeve engages the shoulder 16 formed on the post 8 and this sleeve is held against this shoulder by means of a wing nut 17 threaded on the upper end of the rounded portion 14: and having clan'iping engagement with the upper end of the sleeve. Obviously the sleeve may be rotated on the post 1% when the wing nut 17 is loosened. l v hen the wing nut 17 is tightened the sleeve, and consequently the holder is clamped in the desired angular relation with respect to the post. This adjustment varies the angular position of the flashlight in a horizontal plane. The position of the flashlight in the vertical plane is controlled by the adjustment afforded by the slot 11, bolt and a wing nut 13. Fig. 9 shows a slightly modified form of holder and in this figure the holder comprises a curved metal plate which has an angular extent equal to or less than that ot a semi-circle. The flashlight F is received in the plate and is held therein by straps 21, riveted, as at 22, to the plate and having buckles 24: whereby they may be adjustably secured around the flashlight.

' In the "form of the holder shown in Fig ure 1.0 a metal holding plate of substantially U-shape in cross section is provided and is designated at The flashlight F is held in this plate by bolts 26. Each bolt 26 has one end extended through a bolt hole 27 provided in one side of the plate and has its other end extended through a slot 28 provided in the other side of the Ushaped plate. A wing nut secures each bolt 26 in adjusted position. Of course, plates 20 and 25 are provided with sleeves to receive the rounded portion of the stud.

Figure 11 illustrates a modified form of mounting plate. the mounting plate shown in Fig. 11 having a central section 30 to which end sections 31 are hingedly connected, as at The slots to receive the belt are provided with a center section 30 and are designated at 33. These slots are the same as the slots 4: but are provided nearer to the center of the mounting. By providing the hinged end sections the mounting member accommodates itself better to the contour of the waist.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, it will be seen that in this embodiment of the invention the mounting member, which is designated at M is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4: in that it has a plate 1, prongs 2 and slots 4 but differs from the holder M in that in lieu of the stud or post 8 a lateral extension 35 is provided at the lower end of the plate 1 and terminates in an upwardly extending portion 36 on which a ball member 37 is mount-ed. The ball member 3'7 is engaged by a pair of socket members 38 having arms 39 pivotally connected, as at 40, with arms 41 of flashlight engaging j aws or clamping members 42. The socket members 38 are forced into the desired engagement with the ball member 37 by means of a screw 43. The clamping members or flashlight engaging jaws 42 are urged into the desired gripping engagement with the flashlight by means of a clamping screw ll. The flashlight having been securely fixed to the clamp 42 as may be desired by adjustment of the socket members 38 on the ball member 37 and the clamping of the socket members in the desired adjustment on the ball member.

It is to be understood that the holder H shown in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to a may be reversed; that is, placed with the hinges up or down as de sired. hen placed with the hinges up as shown the holder is slightly higher on the mounting plate than if mounted with the hinges below.

I claim:

1. A flash light holder comprising means for mounting a flash light on a support, a post pivoted intermediate its ends to said mounting means, means for securing the post in any angular position, a holder having a sleeve rotatably fitted on the post, and means for securing the sleeve in any desired angular position on the post.

2. A flashlight holder comprising a mounting plate having means to support the same at the waistline of the wearer, a post pivoted intermediate its ends to the plate, means for securing the post in any angularposition on the plate, a holder having a sleeve rotatably fitted on the post, and means for securing the sleeve in any desired angular position on the post.

EARL L. TI-IORP. 

